Sealing device for the valve-stem openings of wheel rims



May 11 1926.

. H. E. MlEBACH ET AL smuue DEVICE FOR THE VALVE swam. OPENINGS 0F WHEEL RIMS Filed Jan. 16. 1924 Patented May 11,

rea ises eerie HENRY antennas anDBAsIL-cmirrirrt, or LETHBRIDGE, CANADA.

SEALING na'vrcs roe 'rira vALvE-sirmlr ornnmes or WHEEL nnvrs:

-App1ication filed. January 16, 1924. Seria1No. seats-s5.

This invention relates to an improved sealing device torthe valve stem openings ot wheel rims and seeks, among other objects,

to'provide a device which may be readily applied to the rim ot a motor vehicle wheel to prevent theentrance'ot water through.

' hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is asectionalview showing our improved device in use,

Figure 2 is a detail perspective view of the device, and

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view showing a slightly different embodiment of the invention.

Under present practice, a nut is, as is well known, threaded upon the valve stem of a motor vehicle tire, after the tire has been applied to the wheel, to abut the inner circumterences ot the wheel telly for closing the valve stem opening through the telly as well as rigidly securing the valve stem against canting movement and consequently preventing creeping ot the inner tube ot the tire. However, while the valve stem opening through the telly is thus closed by the nut, the valve stem opening through the wheel rim, nevertheless, remains open, so that water may enter through the rim into the tire around the valve stem. Busting ot the rim beneath the beads ot the tire casing as well as beneath the inner tube consequently ensues with resultant damage to the inner tube While the tabric ot the casing becomes water soaked and accordingly rots. The present invention, theretore, seeks to provide a simple and etticient device tor overcoming these disadvantages. In the drawings, we have, tor convenience, shown the invention in connection with a conventional motor vehicle wheel, wheel rim and tire. The wheel telly is indicated at 10 and removably surrounding the telly is the rim 11 accommodating a tire casing 12. Enclosed-bythe casing is an inner tube 13 carrying the usual valve embodying a valve stem lt-which is treely received through an opening 15 in the rim and through an 'opening lti in the wheel telly in i the customary manner. Threaded upon the stem to abut the inner circumference of thetelly is a nut 17 locking the stem against tilting movement within the'opening 16 and this nut carries the usual gasket 18 tor sealingsaidopening at its outer end. The nut is tormed with an upstanding nipple 19 and screwed upon said nipple is the usual dust cap 20. I

Coming now more particularly to the subject of the present inventiomjwe employ a cylindrical sleeve 21 which is ot a diameter to snugly but slidably fit through the opening "15 in the rim 11' as well as through the opening 16 in the telly 10, treely accommodatmgthe valve stem letherethrough, and

tormed on said sleeve'at its inner end is an annular flange22 to overlie -the outer face of the rim beneath the beads of the tire casing 12. The flange 22 is preferably provided with a convex outer tace to contront the beads so that the flange will not cause any injury thereto while the inner tace ot the flange is flat and surrounding the sleeve to rest against said flat tace ot the flange between the flange and the rim 11, is an appropriate gasket 23 sealing the opening 15. Preferably, the sleeve is of alength to project slightly beyond the inner circumterences ot the telly 10 so that when the nut 17 is applied, the gasket 18 will be compressed over the outer end ot the sleeve for closing the opening 16 ot the telly at its adjacent end, as well as sealing the outer end or" the sleeve. Thus, water, dirt, or other toreign matter will be pre vented from entering the tire through the opening 15 ot the rim. As will be appreciated, the beads of the tire casing will, when the tire is inflated, be caused to bear against the flange 22 ot the sleeve tor compressing the gasket 23 and teeding the gasket toward the sleeve to maintain a sealed joint between the sleeve and rim, and enclwise movement ot the sleeve independently ot the stem 14: under the thrust of the beads upon the flange 22 ot the sleeve, will turther serve to sink the outer end ot the sleeve into the gasket 18 ot the nut to maintain the sealed joint between the nut, sleeve and valve stem. Accordingly, at no time can any moisture gain entrance into the tire at. the valve stem.

In Figure 3 of the drawings, we have illustrated a slightly different embodiment of the invention wherein a rim is shown at Ql. In this embodiment, the valve stem sleeve, instead of being formed separate from the rim, as in the prior embodiment ol the invention, is formed integral therewith, as indicated at 25. The sleeve 25 will, of course, be of a length to project through the wheel telly, so that when a nut, like the nut 17, is applied to the valve stem, the gasket of said nut will cooperate with the outer end of the sleeve to form a sealed joint between the sleeve, nut and stem.

Referring again to Figure l of the drawings, it should be stated that the device is, of course, applicable for use with so-ealled straight side rims and tires and when so used, the customary plate at the base of the valve stem of the inner tube of the tire would, when the tire was inflated, bear against the flange 22 for pressing said l'lange against the rim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination with a wheel rim, a telly mounting the rim and, having a radial opening, an inflatable tire carried by the trim, and an inflating valve having a stem extending from the tire through the rim and through the opening in the telly. of a sleeve sealed to and carried by the rim and extending through the opening in the ll-ll around the stem of the inflating valve, a nut threaded on the stem of the inflating valve adjacent the inner end of tlio sleeve, and a gasket carried by the nut and extend ing across the inner end of the .lt Yt and against and across the opening in the fell whereby to be con'ipressed by the nut and close the space between the sleeve and th valve stem and the opening in the telly around the sleeve.

2. The combination with a wheel rim ha ing an opening, atire carried by the rim. and a tire inflating valve having a stem eittending through the opening in the rim, iii" a sleeve inserted through the opening' in tlw rim to surround the valve stem and provided at its outer end with a lateral. flange lying between the tire and the rim, and a gasket interposed between said flange and the rim whereby the tire when inflated will press said flange against the gasket to (Ollipress the gasket and seal the joint between the rim and the sleeve.

In testimony whereof we atlix our signatures.

HENRY E. MIEBACH. [Ls] BASIL CHAPLIN. [Ls] 

